How a butterfly tree becomes a web
Evolution is often portrayed as a tree, with new species branching off from existing lineages, never again to meet. The truth however is often much messier. In the case of adaptive radiation, in which species diversify rapidly to fill different ecolo.....»»
"Butterfly chaos effect" discovered in swarms and herds of animals
Researchers at the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) and the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) have discovered a phase shift between chaotic states that can appear in herds of animals and, in particular, in swarms of insects. This advance.....»»
What happens when conflicting priorities collide and potentially compromise trees, woodland and forests?
A tree is not just a tree. It is also fuel, paper, furniture, livelihood, and industry......»»
What mungee, the world"s largest mistletoe, can teach us about treading lightly
Noongar Country of southwestern Australia is home to the world's largest parasitic plant, a mighty mistletoe that blooms every December. That's why it's commonly known as WA's Christmas Tree. But it also goes by other names, mungee and moodjar. And i.....»»
Apple"s $50M keyboard settlement deemed "fair & reasonable" by US judge
Despite objections, a US judge has upheld the $50 million settlement from a class-action lawsuit against Apple over faulty MacBook butterfly keyboards.Judge approves Apple settlementA court granted initial approval in November 2022 to a $50 million s.....»»
2023 Lexus ES 300h F Sport Handling Review: Float (And Sting) Like A Butterfly
Lexus' ES is a luxury mainstay these days, but can it deliver both the rewarding drive the F Sport Handling badge promises, plus the fuel economy of a hybrid? Le.....»»
Centuries-old cotton tree, a national symbol for decades, felled by storm in Sierra Leone
Torrential rains in Sierra Leone's capital felled the centuries-old Cotton Tree, a national treasure whose loss has left "a gap" in people's hearts, the country's President Julius Maada Bio said Thursday......»»
Colorless nanoparticles used to create lightweight, colorful paint
Nanoparticles manipulate light at specific wavelengths to create colors. Enlarge / Materials in a butterfly's wing create color by altering the paths taken by some wavelengths of light. This was the inspiration for a new form of.....»»
Long-term study shows tree species diversity increases likelihood of planting success
Planting forests with diverse species can help ensure their success, according to a new study published May 18 from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) and The Nature Conservancy. The discovery is the result of a decade of research f.....»»
With hundreds of call-outs every day, wildlife rescue services can help Australians understand threats to native animals
Imagine coming across an injured kangaroo on the side of the road. Or a bat entangled in fruit tree netting. Would you know who to call to get help?.....»»
Butterfly behavior shows ways to protect natural habitats in a rapidly changing world
Natural landscapes are continually transformed to make room for agricultural and urban developments—often at the expense of important habitats and species......»»
Compound from magnolia tree bark found to impede SARS-CoV-2 replication in certain cells
A compound called honokiol, which is found in the bark of multiple species of magnolia tree, inhibits replication of SARS-CoV-2 virus in several types of cells, according to a team of researchers in the Netherlands. The research is published in Micro.....»»
New advance for detection of tree heights with satellite imagery
The pixel size of satellite imagery is getting finer and finer in the last decade with the development spaceborne cameras. What is in store for Earth observations if the 10-cm satellite imagery is available in near future? Forest remote sensing scien.....»»
How butterflies conquered the world: A new "family tree" traces their 100-million-year journey across the globe
How old are butterflies, and where did they evolve? And perhaps more importantly, how and when did they reach the isolated continent of Australia?.....»»
New animal family tree raises questions about the origin of nervous systems
Sponges are more closely related to us than some animals with a nervous system. Enlarge / These complex creatures seem to be the earliest branch of the animal tree. We're more closely related to sponges than we are to them. (cred.....»»
Exploring the centromere and its role in the formation of new species
Centromeres, the DNA sections often found at the center of the chromosomes, display enormous interspecies diversity, despite having the same vital role during cell division across almost the entire tree of life. An international team of researchers h.....»»
Butterfly tree of life reveals an origin in North America
About 100 million years ago, a group of trendsetting moths started flying during the day rather than at night, taking advantage of nectar-rich flowers that had co-evolved with bees. This single event led to the evolution of all butterflies......»»
Preserving pine forests by understanding beetle flight
The mountain pine beetle is one of the main causes of tree mortality in the pine forests of North America. For example, the insect has killed thousands of acres of pine forest in British Columbia and Alberta, and as a result, the areas are more vulne.....»»
How species distribution mediates the global relationship between forest productivity and richness
Biodiversity is an essential factor for ecosystem health and productivity. The number of species in an ecosystem has previously been found to positively correlate with forest productivity (the volume of tree and plant species able to grow in the fore.....»»
Researchers use genomes of 241 species to redefine mammalian tree of life
Research led by a team of scientists from the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences puts to bed the heated scientific debate regarding the history of mammal diversification as it relates to the extinction of the non-avian di.....»»
Mushrooms and their post-rain, electrical conversations
Certain fungi play a critical role in the ecological sustenance of forest trees. Ectomycorrhizal fungi are one such example. Commonly found on pine, oak, and birch trees, ectomycorrhizal fungi form a sheath around the outside of tree roots, and their.....»»